Cooking with beer - Pumpkin Beer Mac and Cheese

 

OK, I found this recipe on Pintreast a while back, and thought it looked pretty good, so I posted it on my Facebook page. Well, a bit has changed since them. For one, it proved to be a very popular post, and I had a lot of people asking for more info about it (mostly people that weren't on pintreast and couldn't see the whole recipe), so I figured with all the demand, I should post it on the blog. The main reason however I wanted to post it here, well, I actually made this over the weekend! I served it at my 2nd Annual Pumpkin Beer Tasting, and let me tell you, it was Fan-freakin-tastic! One of the better beer recipe's I've made. If you like pumpkin, and you like mac and cheese, you MUST give this recipe a try. Just ask anyone that was there, and they can back me up on it.

One tip, this recipe makes A TON of it, so, it may be best to at least half the recipe, unless you planning on serving a dozen people or more (seriously, it makes a lot)




To view the original post, with author notes click here.... (photo credits go to them as well)

So, here goes....

Ingredients

• 8 cups dry elbows
• 6 Tablespoons Butter
• 6 Tablespoons Flour
• 4 cups milk
• 24 ounces pumpkin flavored beer (nothing fancy, I just used Blue Moon Pumpkin)
• 24 ounces (10 cups) Freshly grated Extra Sharp Cheddar
• 2 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 15 ounce can pumpkin puree

Directions

1. Fill a large pot with water and cook pasta according to instructions on the box. Only cook until al dente, you don't want to overcook it, because the beer cheese sauce will cook them further.
2. In a separate large pot, over medium-high heat, add the butter. Cook until melted and bubbling.
3. Whisk in the flour, creating a roux, until golden brown, 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the beer and milk, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer and add the cheese.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low, continue stirring 4-5 minutes until cheese is fully melted and the sauce begins to thicken.
6. Stir in the cayenne and pumpkin pie spice.
7. Mix in the pumpkin puree and cook 3-4 minutes longer.
8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
9. Strain your pasta, and pour it into a large pan. Pour the beer cheese sauce on top and mix into the pasta.
10. Optional--you can add some panko bread crumbs on top if you like some crunch. We prefer it creamy!
11. Cover the pan with tin foil and Pop into the oven for 20-25 minutes.
12. Remove and allow to cool. If the sauce still seems soupy, don't fret! As it sits, it thickens and absorbs into the pasta. Enjoy!

 

Seriously, if you are heading to any sort of fall, autumn or "harvest" potluck, or just having friends and family over for some food, this just a great fall dish. Even if you aren't into beer.

 

So, let me know what you think, enjoy!

 

Until next time

Bottoms up my friends

The Beer Czar

Cooking with beer...Obsidian Stout Mac & Cheese

Gram, and all her great grand children (at the time)

OK, we all know I love Fish Tacos more then just about any other food, right? Well, if there is one food I
may love more then a good fish taco, its some good old home made mac and cheese. My grand mother use to make the most amazing Mac and Cheese, and once I moved out on my own, one of the first things I asked my mother for, was Gram's recipe for mac and cheese. I have no idea how many times in the last 20 or so years I've made it, but its a lot, each time, I tweak it so that at this point, its just about perfection. I am always looking for new ways to make it better, and, well, I am almost embarrassed to admit, I've never thought of using beer in it! Well, lucky for me (and now all of you) the fine folks at Deschutes Brewery in Bend OR have thought of it, and have come up with a pretty enticing recipe for a twist on Grandma's favorite. Using their Obsidian Stout, and some white cheddar, this recipe looks awesome, check it out!

Obsidian Stout Mac & Cheese

4 C cooked pasta
1 C Tillamook white cheddar cheese, grated (I would recommend a little more, maybe a lot more.....)

Can it get any better?

1 C bread crumbs, toasted
4 C heavy cream
1 tsp olive oil
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 small shallot, minced
1 Tbs peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1/4 C Obsidian Stout
1/2 Tbs salt

Lightly brown leeks and shallots in oil in medium stock pot, stirring occasionally. Add peppercorns and bay leaves and stir to combine. Add cream and stir and bring to a low boil allowing liquid to simmer until reduced by half (should be thickened slightly). Turn off heat and add beer and salt.

When ready to serve, toss cheese and fresh boiled pasta into sauce (above). Sprinkle bread crumbs on a cooking sheet and bake until crispy in a 350 degree oven for 2-3 min. Put mac & cheese in a casserole-like dish, add bread crumbs to the top and bake in the hot oven for 350 degrees until browned, about 20 min. Serve with a pint of Mirror Pond Pale Ale

You can check out the recipe on Deschutes website, and get others here....



You can't go wrong with beer, and cheese if you ask me!
Enjoy, and thanks to the fine folks a Deschutes for not only making Abyss, but for coming up with this recipe as well!

Until next time
Bottoms up my friends!

The Beer Czar